


Correctly Mated

by iCheat



Series: Steter Week 2018 [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angry Stiles Stilinski, Communication, M/M, Magic Stiles, Mating Bite, Steter Week, Stiles Stilinski is a Little Shit, Stiles won't take Talia's shit, Talia makes bad decisions, The Hale Pack - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-15 10:48:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15411267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iCheat/pseuds/iCheat
Summary: When Stiles finds out Talia is intending an arranged Mating for Peter he refuses to let his his almost-boyfriend go. Future family dinners could be awkward.For Day 2 of Steter Week: Magical Stiles AND Mating Bite





	Correctly Mated

Stiles looked up when the little bell jingled, he grinned when he saw Derek’s scowl at the noise. He enjoyed the little pleasures in life, like driving all his werewolf customers’ nuts with his bell. Getting away with that kind of nonsense was half the joy of owning one of the most recommended, real magic shops in the entire United States.

“What can I do for you Sourwolf?” Stiles asked brightly. The Hale’s were regulars, in one form or another. Although Stiles would admit he was partial to the form of Peter Hale and had made no secret of it since it meant Peter was sent around more often for ‘pack business’.

“I need a mating gift,” Derek said, not looking at all pleased about it.

“Laura and Nathan finally making it official?” Stiles asked, already turning away. He had just the thing he’d been saving for them.

“No, Uncle Peter-”

A crystal ball shattered.

“Don’t worry about that,” Stiles said as he turned back to Derek with a professional smile and empty hands. “Just a magical reminder to take out the garbage. What was that about Peter?”

“Uh, Uncle Peter is, uh, getting mated,” Derek said haltingly, his attention still on the broken ball. Stiles flicked his wrist sharply and all the pieces flew back together and the ball retook its place.

“I hadn’t realised Peter was seeing anyone,” he said without his smile breaking. He’d never thought he’d be happy for all those years in customer service work before he started his own shop.

“He’s not, uh, there was some, talk about how mum’s enforcer was so unstable he couldn’t get a mate and, well, she decided that if Peter wasn’t even going to look he could accept and arranged mate,” Derek said, turning back to Stiles with an uncertain expression. “Are you alright?”

“Of course,” Stiles said brightly. “I’m afraid I’m not sure what to give you for Peter’s mating. I can have a look around and give you a call later, unless you had something in mind?”

“No, I’ve got no idea. That’s why I came here.”

“Alright then. I’ll see what I can find and give you a call. Anything you can tell me about his mate-to-be?”

“Note sure. Mum’s still, uh, deciding.”

“Right. Anything else I can help you with?”

“No, I… Are you sure you’re ok?”

“Absolutely.”

“Ok I’ll just, leave.”

“Have a good day.”

Derek turned away with a deeply confused look on his face and Stiles kept up a smile until he was out of the store. As soon as the door closed behind him the open sign flipped itself around and shelves started rattling. This was _not_ ok. Nothing about this was _ok_. Even if you completely disregarded the moral ambiguity of an arrangement like that, which Stiles didn’t because that was the shit he expected from the kinds of packs that asked him for help in overthrowing their Alpha, this was not _ok_.

Alright so he and Peter hadn’t been dating _per say_. There’d been no official discussion or even official _dates_ but there had been plenty of unofficial ones. Besides what was that bullshit about Peter not looking? Peter had dated plenty, and yeah he’d also had plenty of one night stands but who didn’t? This was the twenty-first century for Gods’ sake! What the Hell was Talia thinking?

She wasn’t thinking about Peter that was for sure. Stiles knew Peter would do anything for his pack, even go along with something as militant and, and, _barbaric_ as an arranged mating.

It wasn’t like an arranged marriage, which Stiles was also against, a mating was deep, intimate. It was…

It was magic.

At its heart mating was a magical bond between two beings. It was supposed to be something amazing, personal and intimate. It was supposed to be _amazing_.

It wasn’t supposed to be about politics and expectations.

Stiles slapped his hands onto the counter and everything went still. No. He wouldn’t stand for this, for Peter to give up a vital part of himself to a stranger for Talia’s benefit. Not if he could do anything about it.

It had been a long time since Stiles hadn’t had the power to do _something_.

Unfortunately what he usually did in these situations was help the abused pack overthrow their Alpha and then check in to make sure the new Alpha wasn’t also being a piece of shit. That usually worked great, if a little bloody, but he couldn’t overthrow Talia Hale. For one thing he hadn’t been asked to, and for another the rest of the Hale pack would definitely fight him, even Peter himself. They were a family pack and even more loyal for it.

No, this wasn’t the time for a blunt, kill-the-problem approach. This was a beat-them-at-there-own-game situation, brains over brawn. Stiles was more than capable of thinking his way out of a situation. He’d learnt how to before he came into his magic and found that he was well of untapped potential.

He opened a drawer and pulled out a map and a scrying crystal. The first thing to do was find Peter before he talked himself into accepting this _for the pack_. Stiles wouldn’t let him do that. He’d seen how much Peter gave for the pack. He’d seen…

He wouldn’t let him give this. Not _this_.

The crystal stopped its slow swing, holding itself to a point on the map. Stiles knew Beacon Hills well enough to immediately recognise it as one of the shadier bars. That was promising. If Peter was drinking he’d not accepted this newest sacrifice. Stiles headed for the door without a moment’s hesitation.

He wasn’t exactly sure what his plan was beyond ensuring there was no bastardisation of ancient magic on his watch. He wouldn’t let this happen. Not to anyone. He’d stepped in one more than one occasion when strangers had called for his help. His magic was old, passed down through the ages, but also new and unique because he wielded it without any of the traditional training.

He would step in for anyone, to defend the magic and their right to experience it as intended. For Peter…

For Peter he would fight tooth and nail to defend _him_ because Stiles was wild and reckless and he’d never been able to watch friends get hurt. He would step in for Peter to defend the magic, Peter right to experience it as intended, and for Stiles’ desire to experience it with him.

* * *

Peter tucked his flask back away before anyone could notice him spiking his drinks. He needed a bar, the bite of the alcohol and the general atmosphere where no one questioned his misery, but he also needed to actually get drunk. He’d never given a lot of thought to mating, it had mostly just fallen to being in line with magic, although Peter knew it was much more than that.

Talia and Arron were mated and Talia said it just made them love each other all the more.

She claimed that Peter would come to love whoever he mated. Peter wasn’t sure who she was trying to bullshit more; him or herself.

Arranged mating was considered an old tradition to secure pack alliances but Peter had looked into it. It was a relatively new tactic because in older times a mating was spoken of as something sacred, not even every pair did it. It wasn’t just the next step in a relationship is was like a _new_ relationship. It had all been very vague and cryptic and Peter had shrugged it off believing, at the time, that it wasn’t relevant to him as he rarely found anyone he could imagine a life with never mind all the mating business.

He’d never thought he’d have it forced on him.

He downed the rest of his drink and signalled for another.

What was Talia thinking? Sure she’d always been his bossy sister, and then bossy Alpha, but she’d never been… militant about it. She’d never really forced anything Peter was adamantly against. They argued, of course, and sometimes Peter did things he’d rather avoid, but never anything like _this_.

How could she?

How could she do this to him? What had he done to deserve this punishment? To be leashed and chained to some stranger like he was a common dog being trapped in the yard?

He slipped his flask back out as the bartender turned away, just about to tip it over his drink when familiar fingers suddenly stopped him and pushed his hand away. Peter could fight it, it was in no way forceful, but he allowed Stiles to take the flask, re-cap it and slip it into his own pocket. His eyes, when Peter finally looked up at him, were concerned and sympathetic.

So he knew.

“How many have you had?” Stiles asked gently.

“Not enough,” Peter replied as he took a swing of his drink. He felt the burn of it down his throat and wondered if his previous drinks had contained enough wolfsbane to make this affect him regardless. He doubted it, but it would be nice.

“I think you’ve had plenty,” Stiles said. “Unless you plan to drink yourself to death.”

“There’s a thought,” Peter said morosely. He couldn’t be mated if he was dead, could he? Talia would be furious. Maybe. Peter wasn’t so sure he knew his sister as well as he thought he did.

“Peter,” Stiles said, sounding pained, “you know you don’t have to do this.”

Peter didn’t say anything. Didn’t he? His Alpha demanded it. He always ended up obeying the Alpha.

“C’mon, let’s get you out of here,” Stiles said with a sigh as he stood up and reached for Peter’s arm. Peter downed the rest of his drink and allowed Stiles to heft him from his seat and toward the door. Stiles was taking almost all of Peter’s weight from the arm over the shoulder and Peter took a moment to enjoy the show of power.

When Stiles had returned to Beacon Hills after college and a few years abroad Peter hadn’t immediately connected him to the young, reckless kid they’d had to guide out of the forest on more than one occasion. This Stiles was so much more; confident, skilled and powerful, but still with that core of _Stiles_. That craving for knowledge and urge to protect people.

With Stiles, Peter had allowed himself to imagine what he usually wouldn’t. A life. A life beside Stiles. Watching over his pack and going with Stiles on his adventures. He’d imagined them off discovering new magic and lost artefacts. The adventure of it was something he hadn’t realised he’d wanted until Stiles. He’d even imagined lazy days. Curled up with Stiles on the couch, nothing to concern themselves with and secure in the knowledge that nothing could take the two of them down.

There was a reason he didn’t indulge in fantasies. The disappointment was the worst part.

He suddenly found himself in Stiles’ apartment. It was above his shop and Peter had never even noticed the door until the first time Stiles invited him up. He should probably be concerned he didn’t remember much of the trip over other than being in a car.

Stiles put him down on the couch and Peter curled up miserably, loathing the way his wolf found comforting in Stiles’ scent but unable to stop himself burying his nose in a cushion. He could hear Stiles moving around in the kitchen, though not as well as he usually could, and soon hear the footsteps returning.

“I made cocoa,” Stiles said as he nudged Peter over so he could sit on the same couch. Peter grudgingly sat up so he could take one of the mugs. He glanced at Stiles, wondering if he still had the flask on him. Stiles shook his head and took a sip of his drink. Peter sighed and took a sip of his own drink.

For a while they sat in companionable silence. It wasn’t the first time Stiles had stepped in to pull Peter back together. He wondered if he would still get to have this after… _After_.

“Can you… do something?” Peter asked haltingly. He wasn’t one to ask for help but Stiles was always one to offer it and he often found some creative solution. There never seemed a problem Stiles couldn’t find an answer for.

“In the past I’ve helped overthrow Alpha’s who pushed their pack too hard,” Stiles answered readily. “I think you can imagine how that ended, though.”

He could. He could picture Stiles capturing the Alpha and letting one of the pack inherit the position. He’d done similar for Talia before. Taken care of a problem only to present them to Talia so she could make the final judgement. Stiles wasn’t bound by pack law, he had no overwhelming loyalty to Talia.

If only Peter could be the same.

“I’m getting mated,” Peter said in a flat tone, testing how the words felt. It felt like dirt on his tongue. He wanted to scrape it off.

“You don’t have to,” Stiles said in a firm tone that made Peter smile wistfully.

“You can’t overthrow Talia,” Peter said. Not because he didn’t believe Stiles could but because the Hale pack would fight back, Peter included, and they both knew it. “My Alpha has announced that I will be mated.”

“You could leave,” Stiles offered, but the look he gave Peter said he knew Peter wouldn’t accept.

“I can’t leave them,” Peter said. He’d considered it. Of course he had. It was the easy way out where he didn’t have to do this and he didn’t hurt his family. He just slipped out of their lives. He couldn’t though. They were family and pack and if he left because of this there would be no coming back.

He’d never see them again.

Stiles scowled into his mug, clearly deep in thought. Peter didn’t know why he bothered. Peter might be considered the rough edge of the Hale pack but no one who knew him could question his loyalty to them. He would die for them, he had killed for them more than once. If his Alpha needed him mated he would do as she bid.

Why couldn’t she just ask him to die?

“Did she tell you who?” Stiles asked quietly.

“She’s looking into it. She just told me the packs were talking and I needed to mate.”

Stiles made a disgusted noise. Peter glanced at him and could tell Stiles and Talia were going to have a very strained relationship for quite a while. He couldn’t bring himself to feel bad about it.

“Peter, would you mate with me?”

Peter froze and stared. He didn’t, Stiles couldn’t have just… Peter must be drunker than he thought. Except he didn’t feel drunk. At all. He looked into his mug and ignored the eager demands of his wolf to accept.

They weren’t anything official. Peter might have liked them to be but they hadn’t gotten there.

“Did you spike my cocoa with a sobering potion?” Peter asked blankly.

“Yes,” Stiles said without a hint of regret as he turned to look Peter in the eyes. “Will you mate with me?”

“Are you insane?” Peter demanded. Had he stepped into another dimension? People didn’t just _ask_ that. Sure Stiles was interested, he didn’t bother always cloaking his scent and besides Peter knew when someone was attracted to him, but to jump from _almost dating_ to _mated_? It was insane.

“Of course not,” Stiles said, full of confidence. “I want you. I want to be with you. Your Alpha is demanding you be mated. You should mate with me.”

“That’s not how this works!”

“It’s better than some stranger that Talia picks out for you.”

“No it’s not!”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s you!”

Stiles blinked and cocked his head with confusion on his face. Peter wished he could stand, pace, do something other than be trapped on the couch by Stiles’ body. He wished Talia had never talked to whoever convinced her this was a good idea. He wished he couldn’t feel that wolf’s urge to lean forward _right now_ and _claim_ Stiles. He wished he’d acted on his desires to be with Stiles before this bullshit had settled in his lap.

“You like me, Peter,” Stiles said, with a confidence Peter knew he’d developed in his years away from Beacon Hills. “I know you do. Why is it worse because it’s me?”

“I’m being forced into this,” Peter said flatly, ignoring the whine of his wolf as he denied it. “I’m not going to force you into it as well.”

“Oh Peter,” Stiles said with a soft smile before he leant over and pressed his lips to Peter’s. Peter melted into the kiss despite himself. He loved kissing Stiles. His magic thrummed in his skin and his skin and it made kissing him like nothing else in the world. Stiles pulled back after a moment, still smiling.

“I don’t let anything make me do things I don’t want to.”

His heart was steady, his scent strong and sweet, determined and hopeful. Peter met his eyes, golden and full of desire and promise.

He pulled him in for another kiss.

The delighted howl of his wolf rang in his ears.

* * *

“Has anyone seen Peter?” Talia demanded. It had been two days since Talia had informed Peter of her decision. It was for the good of the pack. She knew he would see that and he would do what his pack needed him to.

There were collective negative mumblings. Things had been tense recently. Some of the pack agreed with Talia, knowing her reasoning behind it. Others didn’t but wouldn’t argue with her. Derek and Cora came the closet. Peter was their favourite uncle after all. Derek had been non-committal but it was obvious he was commiserating with Peter and trying to make it easier for him. Cora had taken to snide comments and a cold shoulder.

“Well has anyone-” Talia stopped as they all heard the car approaching. Talia let out a sigh as she picked up Peter’s scent, although there was something different… She shrugged it off. He’d most likely been out drinking, of course his scent would be off. She wasn’t expecting his company though. She recognised Stiles’ scent of course, he’d grown up in Beacon Hills and he’d been very helpful since his return.

She wasn’t sure why he’d be coming to visit though.

The knock at the door was unexpected, since they would both know that everyone inside knew they were there. Never the less the door didn’t open and, after a moment, Talia went over to let them in.

“Hello Alpha Hale,” Stiles greeted politely, those his scent was just a little sour.

“Stiles, it’s good to see you,” Talia said, sending a curious look to Peter who looked… almost stoned. “Is there… a problem.”

“Not as far as I’m aware,” Stiles answered easily. “We just came over for the formalities.”

Talia didn’t notice until they were walking past her into the house that they were holding hands. Something tickled in the back of her mind but she couldn’t quite…

“Formalities?” She asked as they reached the sitting room where the rest of the pack looked at them curiously.

“Of course,” Stiles said in that same, cheerful/polite tone. “It’s never been _required_ , as far as I’m aware, but since it seemed rather urgent to you I felt we should officially inform you of our mating.”

Silence reignedfor a moment as everyone took in the declaration. Peter’s lips twitched and he turned so he could bury his face in Stiles’ shoulders. Stiles pet his hair absently as the scent of Peter’s delight filled the room.

The silence was finally broken by Cora’s laughter as she practically threw herself at the pair.

“Congratulations!” She said delightedly as she hugged the pair. “When did you-”

Everyone watched as she suddenly pulled back, shoving them away.

“Oh gross. Really, Uncle P? You couldn’t shower?”

“We did shower,” Stiles said blankly before smacking Peter’s shoulder and forcing him to look up. “You said we didn’t smell!”

“Compared to when we woke up we don’t,” Peter said with an amused grin.

“Heads up, I still don’t know what mating gift I’m getting,” Derek said with a roll of his eyes, but he clapped Peter on the shoulder and gave him a genuine smile.

“Oh my God,” Stiles said, eyes lighting up. “I have to tell everyone! Peter, do you know the kind of presents I could get from the people I know.”

“I’m sure they’ll be amazing,” Peter said blandly. “You’ll have to invite them to the official ceremony. I’m sure Talia won’t mind negotiating some temporary treaties for such an important event. Right, sister?”

“Are you serious?” Talia demanded. Peter had always been a bit reckless and more than a little argumentative but he’d never done something like this, which had such an impact on the pack, without consulting her.

“Of course,” Stiles answered, meeting Talia’s gaze unflinchingly as he lifted his free hand to show off the new scar on his wrist. “I, personally, would never joke about something as sacred as mating.”

Peter’s eyes had avidly followed the motion and stared at the mark as he raised their joined hands to kiss Stiles’ hand. Talia honestly couldn’t tell how much of that was to flash his own bite scar.

“I thought you had to be a shifter to mate,” Laura said blankly.

“Common misconception,” Stiles said with a shrug. “Only one of the pair has to be a shifter, really anyone can _accept_ the bond. The leading reason being Alpha’s turning their mate when they mate, which is really just a side effect, which could technically be avoided.”

“Would you stop?” Talia demanded, storming towards the pair. Peter twitched away as her eyes flared but his grip on Stiles’ hand tightened and he held his place. Stiles didn’t so much as blink, easily meeting Talia’s eyes. “You’re acting as if this is no big deal! As though you didn’t just mate my brother and force your way into _my_ pack.”

“I didn’t,” Stiles said flatly. He rolled eyes at the answering silence. “I’ve told you before _Alpha Hale_ , I have no desire to join your pack. I have a lot of desire for Peter, however, and I decided to act on it since Peter seemed to share that desire. I think you’ll find that I’m still not technically a part of your pack. Frankly I thought you’d appreciate it since Alpha’s don’t tend to like dissension in the ranks.”

“What does that mean for Peter?” Arron asked, moving to put a comforting hand on Talia’s shoulder.

“Nothing unless you want to kick him out for making himself happy,” Stiles said with a shrug. “I’ll continue to protect Beacon Hills as _my_ home and I will of course offer you additional protections as you are _my_ mate’s family. You’re all also invited to the ceremony, of course. I figure we combine it with a wedding since this is obviously permanent and dad will want something to tell people who aren’t in the know.”

“Why bother with a ceremony if you’re already mated?” Talia already snarled. Stiles looked genuinely confused for a moment before horror took over.

“Did you actually plan for them to mate at the ceremony?” He asked in a horrified tone. “Is that a werewolf thing? Were you going to make the kids watch?”

“Watch what?” Cora asked, although whether she was actually unsure or just wanting to push the situation was hard to tell. Peter covered his mouth to keep his laughter in.

“It tradition!”

“No it’s not, oh my God. It’s a _mating_ , you _mate_. That is _not_ something you do in front of a crowd.” Stiles suddenly looked over at Peter with a hard expression. “She is not organising our ceremony.”

“Surely you don’t want to hire someone?” Peter asked with a raised eyebrow. He couldn’t imagine Stiles forcing this mess onto some poor innocent.

“Of course not,” Stiles scoffed, a grin forming on his face. “I’ll ask Lydia to do it.”

Peter held back another laugh at the horrified expressions of Derek and Cora, apparently the only ones to remember Lydia Martin. Talia still had her metaphorical hackles up and seemed to be unaware of her glowing eyes, but Stiles was perfectly calm and in control. He could feel Stiles’ confidence through their new bond and, however sudden it may have been, Peter wouldn’t give up his new mate for the world.

That Stiles’ magic gave him a bit of extra stamina was just a bonus.

A bonus that Peter would take full advantage of during their honeymoon.

**Author's Note:**

> And no body was murdered for a change.


End file.
